Use of opioid antagonists to treat impulse-control disorders

Abstract

A method is provided for treating an individual afflicted with an impulse-control disorder by administering thereto an amount of one or more opioid receptor antagonists.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A therapeutic method of treating an impulse-control disorder, with the exception of trichotillomania, comprising administering to an individual afflicted with an impulse-control disorder an amount of at least one opioid receptor antagonist effective to reduce or eliminate at least one of the symptoms of the impulse-control disorder. 
     
     
       2. The therapeutic method of claim 1 wherein the impulse-control disorder is pathological gambling. 
     
     
       3. The therapeutic method of claim 1 wherein the impulse-control disorder is intermittent explosive disorder. 
     
     
       4. The therapeutic method of claim 1 wherein the impulse-control disorder is compulsive shopping. 
     
     
       5. The therapeutic method of claim 1 wherein the impulse-control disorder is pyromania. 
     
     
       6. The therapeutic method of claim 1 wherein the impulse-control disorder is kleptomania. 
     
     
       7. The therapeutic method of claim 1 wherein the antagonist is administered orally. 
     
     
       8. The therapeutic method of claim 1 wherein the antagonist is administered parenterally. 
     
     
       9. The therapeutic method of claim 8 wherein the antagonist is administered by injection or infusion. 
     
     
       10. The therapeutic method of claim 8 wherein the antagonist is administered by means of a controlled release dosage form. 
     
     
       11. The therapeutic method of claim 10 wherein the antagonist is administered by means of a transdermal patch. 
     
     
       12. The therapeutic method of claim 1 wherein the antagonist is administered by inhalation. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 1 wherein the antagonist is mu receptor-specific. 
     
     
       14. The method of claim 1 wherein the antagonist is delta receptor-specific. 
     
     
       15. The method of claim 1 wherein the antagonist is kappa receptor-specific. 
     
     
       16. A therapeutic method of treating an impulse-control disorder, with the exception of trichotillomania, comprising administering to an individual afflicted with an impulse-control disorder an amount of an opioid receptor antagonist of formula (I): ##STR4## wherein R 1  is (C 3  -C 4 )cycloalkylmethyl or allyl, R 2  is H or OH, R 3  is H or (C 1  -C 4 )alkyl, R is O, CH 2  or (H) 2 , or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester thereof, effective to reduce or eliminate the symptoms of the impulse-control disorder. 
     
     
       17. The method of claim 16 wherein the compound of formula (I) is naltrexone. 
     
     
       18. The method of claim 16 wherein the compound of formula (I) is naloxone. 
     
     
       19. The method of claim 16 wherein the compound of formula (I) is nalmefene. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim 16 wherein the compound of formula (I) is levallorphan. 
     
     
       21. The therapeutic method of claim 16 wherein the impulse-control disorder is pathological gambling. 
     
     
       22. The therapeutic method of claim 16 wherein the impulse-control disorder is intermittent explosive disorder. 
     
     
       23. The therapeutic method of claim 16 wherein the impulse-control disorder is compulsive shopping. 
     
     
       24. The therapeutic method of claim 16 wherein the impulse-control disorder is pyromania. 
     
     
       25. The therapeutic method of claim 16 wherein the impulse-control disorder is kleptomania. 
     
     
       26. The therapeutic method of claim 16 wherein the antagonist is administered orally. 
     
     
       27. The therapeutic method of claim 16 wherein the antagonist is administered parenterally. 
     
     
       28. The therapeutic method of claim 27 wherein the antagonist is administered by injection or infusion. 
     
     
       29. The therapeutic method of claim 27 wherein the antagonist is administered by means of a controlled release dosage. 
     
     
       30. The therapeutic method of claim 29 wherein the antagonist is administered by means of a transdermal patch. 
     
     
       31. The therapeutic method of claim 16 wherein the antagonist is administered by inhalation.